If you could buy only one fast, fixed (stabilized) lens for the FS5 for all filming situations, what would it be?

Quite impossible question. But for me a 24 probably would be a useful length.

Yup tough question. Bascially I have a couple of zooms (10-18, 18-105, 55-210) but was thinking about one fast prime for low light, etc. 24mm seems to be the most sensible - can be used with clear image zoom).

Was thinking Rokinon 24 1.5 cine ... doesn't look like they do stabilized though. Back to drawing board ...

This is one possibility if you want something at a relatively low cost, the Canon 35mm F2 IS EF.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-35mm-f-2-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

I don't have it but have wondered about getting something like this as, especially with the Clear Image Zoom on the FS5, it could prove highly useful.

Other options that I have (so far) looked at are a lot more money, but IS is a big factor for me. One of the appeals of the FS5 (and my C100) is the ease of hand-held shooting without any rig/small discrete form factor - and the IS will remove those horrible micro-jitters.

Worth reading some of the amazon reviews on this link too.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-35mm-USM-Lens/dp/B00A33C4A8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452551152&sr=1-1&keywords=canon+ef+35+mm)

Depends on what type of shoots you're looking to do. For me, shooting talking heads is a priority, so the 50mm f1.4 Sony Alpha lens is one of my favorites, albeit stopped down a bit. I get a medium close-up shot at a comfortable 5ft distance, with a nice shallow DOF.

That being said, it's sometimes a bit too tight, especially in the confines of a smaller room. If money isn't a concern, you might look into the very highly rated Zeiss FE 35mm f2.8, It might be slightly slower, but you can shoot it wide open with excellent results.

Yup tough question. Bascially I have a couple of zooms (10-18, 18-105, 55-210) but was thinking about one fast prime for low light, etc. 24mm seems to be the most sensible - can be used with clear image zoom).

Was thinking Rokinon 24 1.5 cine ... doesn't look like they do stabilized though. Back to drawing board ...

Doesn't the fs5 have a built in stabalizer?

I think I would have to go wth the 35mm. I typically shoot interviews with a 50 and b-roll with a 35mm but with the image zoom it's essentially a 35-70 1.4.

Doesn't the fs5 have a built in stabalizer?

No it hasn't

For the record "if" I could only have have one prime for general use it would be the Sony 35mm. sharp, small, light, FS5 digital zoom, IOS... and just learn to deal with the wonky manual focus

This is one possibility if you want something at a relatively low cost, the Canon 35mm F2 IS EF.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-35mm-f-2-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx)

I don't have it but have wondered about getting something like this... [/url]

Just wondering if anyone who has this specific lens could comment on what the Focus Ring is like. I can't seem to find much info about this in all the (otherwise good) web reviews I've found so far. Is the Focus Ring very short in travel or usable?

Zeiss 35mm looks nice. Sharp and fast and native for E-mount.

Canon 35mm looks great as well. A little faster, a bit heavier, needs adapter, but a bit cheaper.

I wonder when/if Sigma will enter the fray with E-mount lenses (with - hopefully - stabilization).

No it hasn't.

When I was trying out the FS5, it had stabilization in the menu which seemed to work pretty well. Must have been in the 18-105 lens that came with it.

I have an old FD 35mm f2 Canon it is a really nice lens from the 70's and it works well with a Fotodiox adapter, these lenses can be found for less than $200 in perfect shape. Mine is mint I am the only user.

It is interesting the lens has a slight brown tone, this can be fixed by WB, but I sometimes really like the effect, a bit like sepia.

35mm is a really nice focal length and with digizoom it is 35-70 a fantastic range (roughly 35-55 in UHD). I often find myself using somewhere between 35 to 70 on my zoom lenses.

Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN Sony E
Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN Sony E
Sigma 60mm F2.8 DN A Sony E
get all three
Always on a tripod

When I was trying out the FS5, it had stabilization in the menu which seemed to work pretty well. Must have been in the 18-105 lens that came with it.

Yup, it must be built into the lens itself.

I have the sigma art 35mm. In my opinion if you're not getting a fast prime, why not use a zoom? At 1.4 it's pretty fast but the 2.8s mentioned above seems like a shame to get a prime that slow.

Canon or Sony 35mm with IS/OSS, I got 50mm 1.8 OSS but too narrow for general use, good for beauty shot though.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I want to stick with stabilized ... shooting on sticks is not always an option for me and my hand ain't that steady.

I agree that a stabilized lens is pretty important for handheld unless you have a really good rig as well. The FS5 doesn't have sensor stabilization (darn!) - what you are seeing is in the lens if the FS5 senses it.

On thing, if your delivery is HD, is that if you shoot in 4K you can also crop in post which can effectively double your focal length. Couple that with the in camera clear image zoom of 1.5x a 24mm can be a 24-75. Also if you have just 1 lens, particularly on a super35mm sensor like the one on the FS5, 17 or 18mm is good for a wide. Really even 24mm isn't all that wide if you don't have the chance to get some distance from you and the subject - which can happen in run and gun situations. However there are not that many stabilized prime wide lenses.

What you can do is get something like the Canon EF 24mm f2.8 IS and put a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra T on that, which will get you to a 17-18mm equivalent and also make the f2.8 a stop faster so it's more like a 2.0. Or you can get something like the excellent Tamron 24-70 2.8 IS with a speedbooster and get a stabilized fast lens that is nearly as sharp as a prime. You can get a Tamron refurbished for around $900, add a $650 Speedbooster Ultra and you have a really versatile setup.

The beauty of getting a full frame lens and adding a Speedbooster is that if you do get a full frame camera in the future, like a A7s or A7sII or any camera, you can still use the lens, it's not married to the sensor size or even the brand's mount.

What you may be sacrificing is a bit of portability and lightness of a native FS5 + native mount setup. Adding a speedbooster and some fast glass adds few inches of length to the front of the FS5, and definitely some weight.

I personally would not get the Rokinon 24mm (I have it). It is probably Samyang/Rokinon's worst lens in terms of sharpness and uniformity. I recently got a Canon 24 f1.4 II which has superlative image quality but that is an expensive lens.

I talk about all this stuff in my podcast, TechMove, TechMove is the Podcast all about Digital Filmmaking, Gear, Mac Computers, and iOS Devices from a Unique Perspective! (http://techmovepodcast.com)

Regards,

-Keith

Thanks Keith for weighing in!

This is one possibility if you want something at a relatively low cost, the Canon 35mm F2 IS EF.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-35mm-f-2-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx)

I don't have it but have wondered about getting something like this as, especially with the Clear Image Zoom on the FS5, it could prove highly useful.

Other options that I have (so far) looked at are a lot more money, but IS is a big factor for me. One of the appeals of the FS5 (and my C100) is the ease of hand-held shooting without any rig/small discrete form factor - and the IS will remove those horrible micro-jitters.

Worth reading some of the amazon reviews on this link too.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-35mm-USM-Lens/dp/B00A33C4A8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452551152&sr=1-1&keywordso=canon+ef+35+mm)

Hi again. I tried to find this lens at my local camera store in Cambridge today to test what the focus ring is like but they did not have one in stock. Anyone got it and care to give me an opinion of it for video use (will be on my FS5 or C100.

Thanks in advance.

This is one possibility if you want something at a relatively low cost, the Canon 35mm F2 IS EF.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-35mm-f-2-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx)

I don't have it but have wondered about getting something like this as, especially with the Clear Image Zoom on the FS5, it could prove highly useful.

Other options that I have (so far) looked at are a lot more money, but IS is a big factor for me. One of the appeals of the FS5 (and my C100) is the ease of hand-held shooting without any rig/small discrete form factor - and the IS will remove those horrible micro-jitters.

Worth reading some of the amazon reviews on this link too.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-35mm-USM-Lens/dp/B00A33C4A8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452551152&sr=1-1&keywordso=canon+ef+35+mm)

Hi again. I tried to find this lens at my local camera store in Cambridge today to test what the focus ring is like but they did not have one in stock. Anyone got it and care to give me an opinion of it for video use? (will be on my FS5 or C100 and I am especially interested in how well the focus ring works).

Thanks in advance.

This is perfect lens :-)

Veydra Mini Prime 25mm T2.2

To join this thread. The Veydra looks promising but I'm looking for a prime canon lens to use on my GH4 to via commlite adapter. What will the best mm size be for allround shooting primaly to use on the FS5 together with a speedbooster?

A Sony or Tamron 35mm f/1.8 are both fast lenses, a good general purpose focal length for a prime, and are stabilised.

Tamron SP 35mm and 45mm f/1.8: Pro Prime Lenses with Stabilization (http://petapixel.com/2015/09/02/tamron-sp-35mm-and-45mm-f1-8-pro-prime-lenses-with-stabilization/)

Sony 35mm f/1.8 OSS Alpha E-mount Prime Lens SEL35F18 B&H Photo

I have an old FD 35mm f2 Canon it is a really nice lens from the 70's and it works well with a Fotodiox adapter, these lenses can be found for less than $200 in perfect shape. Mine is mint I am the only user.

It is interesting the lens has a slight brown tone, this can be fixed by WB, but I sometimes really like the effect, a bit like sepia.

35mm is a really nice focal length and with digizoom it is 35-70 a fantastic range (roughly 35-55 in UHD). I often find myself using somewhere between 35 to 70 on my zoom lenses.

Like Olof, I have 3 nice Canon FD Lenses I used first with my Letus on the EX1, then on my FS100: a 35mm F1.4, a 24mm F2.8, and a 35-105 constant F4 zoom. I bought them from eBay for some 25 Euros each, and they were just great for HD. Howver - having seen Olof's comparison of his 35mm Canon FD with the FS5 kit lens, they lack ins sharpness in 4K, and have no stabilization... Nevertheless, I'm going to keep them in case I bought an FS5 or FS7, after all...

I am using a number of old Nikon lenses with the FS5 and just picked up a used Metabones Nikon Speedbooster. Wow, what a difference. I have an old 20mm f4 Nikon that I used to love using with my Nikon F2 and it is is great on the FS5. I don't miss not having stabilization at all! I also have a 28mm f3.5, a a 50 f1.4, and a 105mm f2.5 among others. They are great on the FS5. No issues.

This is one possibility if you want something at a relatively low cost, the Canon 35mm F2 IS EF.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-35mm-f-2-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx)

I don't have it but have wondered about getting something like this as, especially with the Clear Image Zoom on the FS5, it could prove highly useful.

Other options that I have (so far) looked at are a lot more money, but IS is a big factor for me. One of the appeals of the FS5 (and my C100) is the ease of hand-held shooting without any rig/small discrete form factor - and the IS will remove those horrible micro-jitters.

Worth reading some of the amazon reviews on this link too.

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-35mm-USM-Lens/dp/B00A33C4A8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452551152&sr=1-1&keywords=canon+ef+35+mm)

Just a quick update. I've been trying to buy what seemed to be good, second-hand copies of this Canon 35mm F2 IS lens on "fleebay" recently, but in both cases the lenses sold for more than I can buy a new one for (thanks partly due to Canon's current offer of £45 cash back on this particular lens). So I bought a brand new one yesterday from a well respected UK photography dealer (Park Cameras) for £334 including VAT and delivery. Should get it this week :-)

What about the Sony E mount 35mm f/1.8 OSS (stabilized)? Fast, optically good, and currently $398 at B&H.

Just noticed that the Sony 35mm f/1.8 OSS was already mentioned. Sorry.

+1 for this idea.

Don't have one (yet) but might buy one.

Yes, another option Richard. I looked at it (or to be precise some reviews of it) as it was going to be about the same price - currently around £350 in the UK from reputable dealers.

Thing is, I could only use it on the Sony FS5, not on my Canon C100 (I have a Metabones) and 7D (long ago relegated to stills use only) - so I preferred the flexibility of buying EF glass. And to 'seal the deal', I was also concerned about some reports of bad colour fringing on the Sony lens. The Canon 35mm F2 IS is supposed to be tack sharp, optically equal to Canon's best L glass (in most respects apart from lack of weather sealing and no 'red ring').

Horses for courses...

Andy. Agree regarding "Horses for Courses".

Here is what I got rid of:

EF 16-35 f/2.8L II
EF 24-70 f/4.0L IS
EF 50 f/1.4
EF 100 f/2.8L Macro IS
EF 70-200 f/4.0L IS
EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II

EF-S 10-22
EF-S 17-55 f/2.8
EF-S 15-85
Tokina 11-16

Quite impossible question. But for me a 24 probably would be a useful length.

I used the Zeiss 24mm, f1.8 E-mount lens on my old FS100. That was an amazing lens. I'd probably go with this.

What about the Sony E mount 35mm f/1.8 OSS (stabilized)? Fast, optically good, and currently $398 at B&H.
I have both the Sony 50mm/1.8 and the 35mm/1.8. I really like the 50mm, it has something too it. The 35mm I don't really like at all. I end up using that one if I really have to. But it's very small and light so it has that going for it...

Dmitri:

What are the things that bother you about the 35mm f/1.8 OSS?

What are the things that bother you about the 35mm f/1.8 OSS?
it just really lacks 'mojo' in lack of a better way to describe it. The 50mm has something, I find myself often really happy with it (especially considering the price) but the 35mm I'm very rarely happy with. Maybe because I have the 35mm/1.5 Samyang as direct comparison, I don't know.
That said, the Sony 35mm is extraordinarily small and light so it is a good lens to have for some occasions.

My Canon 35mm F2 IS EF arrived this afternoon. OK, so it's just first impressions/very brief testing so far, obviously, but I love it! The IS is, basically, inaudible too. Shooting some stuff in Norfolk tomorrow with the FS5 and will put it through it's paces.

OK, next fixed fast lens that's on my wish list is the new Sigma 20mm F1.4 Art lens in EF mount.

No image stabilisation of course, fairly heavy and I believe the focus ring has a very short throw. Anyone using it on an FS5?

Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens Review (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sigma-20mm-f-1.4-DG-HSM-Art-Lens.aspx)

Samyang / Rokinon has been making some sweet / cheap manual lenses like this one:

Samyang 35mm T1.5 Cine Lens for Canon EF
Samyang 35mm T1.5 | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Samyang+35mm+T1.5&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=)

Samyang makes the same lens rebranded as Rokinon, but for some reason they are more expensive as Rokinon. T1.5 is the same as F1.4 by the way. This is a "Cine" version with gears and click-less exposure. You can get theswe in E-mount, but I personally have a Metabones Ultra that gives me an extra stop of light. I don't own this lens, but I recently got their 14mm Cine Prime, and it's very nice for the money. 1,000.00 cheaper than the Canon equivalent.

OK, next fixed fast lens that's on my wish list is the new Sigma 20mm F1.4 Art lens in EF mount. No image stabilisation of course, fairly heavy and I believe the focus ring has a very short throw. Anyone using it on an FS5?

Just to update this. In the end I thought hard about it and decided I'd rather spend £529 (inc VAT) on a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra which will not only turn my Canon 35mm F2 IS lens into an image stabilised 25mm wide type animal (could be very useful, but it remains to be seen if it will produce nice images wide open at F1.4). The Speedbooster is on back-order with Wex Photographic in Norwich - not sure how long it might take before I get it.

I already have the normal Metabones MkIV (i.e. the non-focal reducer one) for my Canon EF-S and EF glass and the Speedbooster will give me a nice, additional wider and brighter range with my EF lenses, specifically my Canon 70-200mm F4 IS L, Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro HIS L lenses, as well as that latest 35mm IS EF. I already have a Canon 10-22mm F3.5 EF-S that covers the ultra wide end...well I will have once it comes back from repair - details below!

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-cinema-eos-camera-systems/531808-canon-lens-communication-error-01-a.html

Cool! But with the Metabones ultra, Your 35mm lens will be the equivalent of a 36.75mm.

35mm x 1.5 (super35 crop)= 52.5mm x .7 (Speedbooster Ultra Crop) = 36.75mm

Doh! Yep!

No matter, it's the speed and usefulness with my 70-200mm and 100mm that I'm mainly interested in the Ultra for - and a very fast 37mm FOV would be a great docu "walkabout" lens (especially because of the Clear Image Zoom on the FS5).

Yes, I to have considered that lens for the IS, I have the Speedbooster Ultra, and have been only buying Canon mount lenses. I would love a report back on that 35mm with the FS5! Maybe some sample footage.

I recently bought the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm cine lens, and find it very nice. Rokinon has many high performing / reasonably priced lenses. What I have also found is that Rokinon is made by Samyang. So you get the same lens branded Samyang often for much less. ON B&H the Rokinin was 500.00 and the same lens branded Samyang was 329.00. They also rebrand even cheaper for the same lens as "Bowen". So if you are in the market and don't want to pay top dollar, Samyang has some nice stuff for 1/3 of the Canon price often.

Canon 35mm F2 IS is a lovely lens on the FS5, currently behaving as a slightly over 50mm as you know (!) with the Standard Metabones MkIV. The focus ring on it is butter smooth and I find it very easy to focus with - but I still wish the focus had (even) more travel. Not a deal breaker - it's certainly a heck of a lot easier to focus than my much used Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS EF-S, that's for sure! The IS is whisper quiet - and effective - both very important to me with the way I typically shoot.

To test it's sharpness wide open I did take a few stills for a client on my 7D last week (so again also a crop factor) and I was impressed - so was she! Nothing I can share at the moment, but if I get time in the next week or so (and the weather improves here) I'll try and put up a short video clip with it on the FS5 (we had some fabulously sunny and hot days in England the last few days but now we have dullness, cloud and rain again!)

Yes, I to have considered that lens for the IS, I have the Speedbooster Ultra, and have been only buying Canon mount lenses. I would love a report back on that 35mm with the FS5! Maybe some sample footage.

Here you go Chad.

Shot in a spare 2-3 hours around Ely (where I live, just north of Cambridge) on Thursday - a hazy spring day to quickly test my new Canon 35mm F2 IS. Sony PXW-FS5 in 4K with Metabones MKIV EF to NEX Lens Adapter.

All shots were (deliberately) only with this lens and (again deliberately) hand-held - but even with image stabilisation I felt I had to stabilise a lot of them in post (edited in 4K with Adobe CC on a new Mac Pro). Using a 1.53x crop factor calculation I found the approx. 54mm FOV (frame of view) with this lens on the FS5 a bit challenging for some shots - I often wanted it wider! One shot (the sundial) was with Clear Image Zoom at maximum reach (1.5x in 4K mode on the FS5). I have a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra on order which will give me a 38mm FOV with this lens and that should be more or less ideal for a walk-about fixed, fast prime for my needs. One other note. On a couple of shots I ramped up the Variable ND to try and get a shallow DOF but in the bright light I typically could open the Iris no wide than about F3.5.

This will be my last test with Firmware V1.11. Moving on up to V2.00 this weekend :-)

Ely in May - FS5 4K (Canon 35mm F2 IS Test) on Vimeo

Hi Andy,

I think the shots with the 35mm Canon look very nice! Lots of detail, contrast and color rendition. But I need you to clarify:
1. Did you do all these shots hand held? I know you said they were, but I almost can't believe it because I was positive most of them were on a tripod, as they looked to be not moving at all. If they were all hand held, then I am very impressed with the IS!
2. When you couldn't get any more open than f3.5, was your ND up as high as possible? 1/64?

I guess one could get an extra ND to screw on the front to get max bokeh. Anyway, I keep thinking about this lens, so I'm just going to order it. I need something small, fast and stabilized to facilitate hand held. I do have the Speedbooster Ultra, so the lens will become a 1.4 (minus the extra stop of bokeh) making it great for indoor stuff at night.

Thanks for sharing your test! You've pushed me over the edge to grab this little gem.

I just found the Canon 35m f2 IS USM as a store demo model for 499.00, and including the normally not included lens hood that goes for 44.00, so I saved close to 100.00 US. Not bad. I can't wait to get that baby on my FS5!

Hi Chad,

1. All hand held - I promise (the odd shot was resting on a fence post or whatever). But, unlike my heavier C100 and much heavier, semi-shoulder PMW-300, I find the FS5 is very susceptible to "rocking/twisting" when held to your chest or face - still working on perfecting my technique with it. Therefore, many of the shots have been Warp Stabilised in post (Adobe CC2014). I think it is because the FS5 is small but also so blummin light in weight. I have a similar problem when using my tiny Panasonic TM900 camcorder.

I think the IS on any lens is great for removing those horrible micro-jitters that one sometimes sees - I find any footage like that totally unwatchable. But no, the IS on THIS lens is not going to make it look like you are shooting highly detailed 4K on a tripod. That's my conclusion and why I felt the need to Warp Stabilise many shots in post - but hey, at least I could and get some decent images :-). The only other thing I did in post was very mild contrast boost. All shot with Doug Jensen's Vortex FS5 Pro Picture Profile and White Balance locked at 6500K

2. I only ever use the Variable ND (or set it to Clear, i.e. off, for most indoor shooting of course), never the old fashioned stepped ND approach on the FS5. As you know, regardless of ND wheel position (1, 2 or 3) you can dial in very tiny steps up to maximum of 128th when the FS5's thumbwheel is set to allow it - I find it a wonderful way of exposing.

What I do is decide Iris (F-Stop) setting I want (a lot of that film was shot around F9 to get a deep, sharp DOF), then I adjust exposure via the variable ND until I just start to see zebras on highlights. I have Zebras set at 95%...I may lower this to 93% with the new V2.00 Firmware that I've just installed, as I got a bit hot on one or two shots. In V1.11 firmware only 5% steps were possible, now it's much more flexible - and you can have a second Zebra too.

When I wanted a shallow DOF (e.g. the shaky railing spikes shot early on - not stabilised in post), I found I could not stop clipping (as judged by those Zebras) without using an Iris setting of at least F3.5 - because of the bright sunny conditions. No F2 or F2.8 was possible there. So yes, an additional screw on ND filter would be needed if you really wanted to open up more on a bright sunny day.

The lens is a definite keeper - but without the Speedbooster (in my opinion) is not quite wide enough on the FS5 for a walk-about general lens. When I get my Speedbooster it'll be perfect.

Thanks for the report Andy! I have my lens on order now. I can't wait to try it out. Now to go install FW 2.0.